


Izzy and Finn

by TheSofterGentlerMe



Series: Finn and The Moms of Power [6]
Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: Angst, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Turmoil, F/F, F/M, Finn and the Moms of Power, First Heartbreak, Other, Post-Season/Series 05 Finale
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-24
Updated: 2020-08-24
Packaged: 2021-03-06 14:27:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 16,062
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26090377
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheSofterGentlerMe/pseuds/TheSofterGentlerMe
Summary: Finn has come back from Seaworthy with a realization and they're ready to share it. When things don't go the way Finn hoped, how are they going to cope?
Relationships: Adora/Catra (She-Ra), catradora - Relationship
Series: Finn and The Moms of Power [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1862320
Comments: 15
Kudos: 66





	Izzy and Finn

**Author's Note:**

> Shall we?

“You sure you don’t want us around tonight?” Catra said with a grin leaning against the door to Finn’s room. “We could provide amusing commentary, help with the conversation, serve dinner…” 

“Stop teasing them!” Adora said with a laugh as she walked down the hall to stand beside Catra 

“Thank you for the offer but I think I’ve got it handled tonight, Applesauce,” Finn said with a grin as they put on an old dark red suit jacket they’d found in the attic. 

Catra gave them a look and Adora nudged her and said, “Hey, don’t be mad, you started it.” 

Adora turned to Finn and said, “You know the drill, we’ll be back probably a little before eleven tonight. If you need us, let us know, otherwise, have a good evening.”

“And good luck,” Catra said as the two stepped in to give Finn a hug.

“I love you,” Finn said as they hugged them back. 

They both said love you back and then left Finn to finish up getting ready. As they walked out the door, Bow and Glimmer stood at the gate waiting on them. The two waved as they walked down the walk to the gate and Catra said, “How’s Capella?” 

“Thrilled because she’s with her Aunt Casta and Aunt Juliet,” Glimmer said. “Probably going to spend the whole evening playing with magic. Hopefully she’ll wear herself out. I’ve never seen a six year old who was so hard to put to sleep.” 

“You mom says she has,” Bow said with a grin. 

Then he looked towards the house and said, “Well, let’s get out of the way of the kids shall we? Best Friends Squad adventure night!”

Catra laughed and said, “When did dinner out and hanging out at the cafe roleplaying become an adventure?” 

“When? Just now. I just said it,” Bow said with a grin. 

Catra shrugged and said, “Good enough for me. To adventure then.”

As they walked on down the road to the nearby village, Finn was inside getting more and more nervous. They’d been back from their trip to Seaworthy for about a week. The trip to see the place that Finn had met their moms for the first time had been set in motion by a comment from a girl that Finn was pretty sure was their first serious love. After a conversation with their moms on their last night in Seaworthy they’d decided that they were going to try and tell her how they felt and tonight was going to be that night. Finn had been dead set on preparing an elaborate meal, complete with fancy table settings and a grand declaration but when their moms had caught wind of the plan on sailing back from Seaworthy, they’d derailed it. 

“What’d I say about just being you?” Catra said, lifting her eyebrows and tilting her head down to look at Finn. 

“What? This is me! I like cooking, I like acting, this combines the two!” Finn said. 

“Yeah, but this is a bit much,” Adora said as she looked at the plan for the five course meal that Finn was showing them as well as notes on room decoration, table setting, mood lighting, and a time table. “It’s like you but you turned up way too high.” 

“I’m just trying to put my best foot forward!” Finn said.

“Kiddo, what would you say if an actor playing Petunia in _The Winds of Dryl_ came out on stage and just over exaggerated every line they had and went over the top? Like, it’s still the same character but the acting is just way too much,” Catra said. 

Finn thought for a moment and said, “Point made.”

“It’s a good idea, just maybe not for this. Save it and use it for an anniversary dinner, hon,” Adora said. 

Finn stood in the kitchen and checked the dinner they’d ended up making as they fidgeted. Izzy was supposed to be there soon and Finn wasn’t sure how this was going to go. When they’d got back Finn had asked her to come over to hang out but hadn’t said anything beyond that. She’d been happy to do so and Finn had felt remarkable calm about the whole thing. At the time.

_Why am I so nervous? I was fine all week. I feel like it’s my first time on stage,_ Finn thought as they went out to the patio and made sure the lanterns on the patio table were lit. 

As Finn paced in the living room, they started to get nervous. Finn didn’t want to look at the clock because they were sure that it would show that Izzy was late and they felt a shock of dread shoot through them as they wondered if she was even going to show up.

_Maybe she figured out what’s going on and she’s freaked out. Maybe she just decided she doesn’t want to come around anymore,_ Finn thought. 

Finn started to take deep breaths just like they’d learned years before to calm themselves down and tried to find something to occupy themselves. On the coffee table in the living room was a large book that had been recently published, a retrospective of Catra’s earlier artwork, and Finn spent a few minutes idly flipping through it and looking at different pieces. One image caught their eye, a non-representational piece. It was a seething mass of many subtle shades of green shot through with razor thin black lines. It took up both pages and the label read:

**Catra of Bright Moon**

_Memories Burned and Repressed_

Oil on canvas

525cm x 325 cm

Catra had told Finn before that every piece of art had an intent of one kind or another behind it and they were trying to figure out what this piece’s intent was when there was a knock at the door. Finn jumped to their feet and tried to still their heart as they quickly went over to the door and pulled it open a little too fast. 

Izzy stood on the other side and leaned back a little at the sudden opening of the door. She stood there in a green shirt with poofed out sleeves that matched her hair in shades of orange and yellow. The hair was fluffed up as usual and she didn’t know what to do at first. 

“Izzy! I missed you,” Finn said with a smile. 

Izzy turned her head a little and said, “Is that why you opened the door so fast?”

Finn felt a bit awkward as they said, “Sorry about that. I was just, uh, a bit too enthusiastic there wasn’t I?”

Izzy shrugged and walked forward past Finn. The art book still lay open on the table and Izzy spied it as she stepped down into the living room. 

“Is that _Memories Burned and Repressed_?” Izzy said as she walked over and looked down at it. 

“I think so?” Finn said. “I was looking at it when you knocked.” 

Izzy sat down on the couch and scooted the book over. As she looked at it she said, “Do you know much about this?” 

Finn shrugged and said, “I know it was a work Mother did when she was younger. She’s told me about some of her stuff but I don’t think I know much about this one.” 

Izzy sat the book down and said, “I’ve always wanted to see this in person sometime. It’s supposed to be HUGE. It was the last and biggest of a series of abstract pieces she did similar to it. There’s one that’s all shades of white with strands of gold and red running through it called _Suppression of A Need_ . There’s another that’s shades of black, well really dark gray, with purple running through it and small flecks of white called _A Long Fall Out_ . I don’t think she’s ever made any real statement on the pieces and there’s all kinds of speculation on the series. Some say it’s just her experimenting with color and shape because while it’s not her _first_ stuff, she was still a pretty new artist. Others say that there’s deeper meaning and that she’s trying to communicate some kind of pain or glee or something through them. What the message is depends on who you ask of course. I heard there’s been heated arguments at professional conferences over it.”

Finn sat and listened to her with a smile. While she was normally pretty quiet, Finn had found that when she was relaxed that she had a tendency to give little short lectures on stuff and they loved to hear them even if it wasn’t something they would normally find that interesting. Izzy suddenly stopped and looked down and tucked a stray hair back. 

“Sorry. I didn’t mean to ramble on,” she said. “You probably know more about this than I do.” 

Finn smiled and said, “You don’t have to apologize, I love listening to you talk about stuff. I’m surprised you can remember all that! I don’t really know that much about that side of her work and Mother doesn’t get into, you know, serious art talk about her stuff. She mostly gripes about stuff like her stylus not working just right or how much she misses getting covered in paint. Mom though, she’ll definitely talk about her survey stuff.”

“Your moms are pretty nifty. So how did Seaworthy go?” Izzy said.

Finn again felt awkward as they remembered again what they’d finally realized there and why they’d invited Izzy over that night. 

“Um… kind of weird honestly? I think I was looking for some kind of big, I don’t know, _moment,_ but there wasn’t one, just memories, good and bad. Had some serious talks with my moms, that kind of thing,” Finn said as they shifted in their seat a little. 

“I can’t imagine wanting to revisit places from my past but I don’t have as many questions around it as you do I guess,” Izzy replied as she looked down to close the art book. “But I think you’re, I don’t know, brave I guess is the word for stepping forward and trying.”

Finn shook their head as they stood up and said, “Not a lot of bravery involved. Oh! I do have to tell you about the coolest thing we saw there though! Let me grab dinner and I’ll tell you about it!”

Izzy stood up and the two grabbed the food and went out to the patio. As they sat down Finn started telling her about the Seaworthy version of darts, which consisted of throwing three full sized harpoons the length of a room. Izzy sat and listened and grinned when Finn told her about the place it was in and how they’d ended up with assumed names when they’d gone in. 

“Of course I should have known better because the person we were sitting with pretty much _immediately_ recognized my moms but that’s fine because I am absolutely going to call Mother by Applesauce until the end of time now,” Finn said with a laugh. 

Izzy grinned a little wider and then the grin faded to her usual neutral face as she said, “Nothing much happened while you were gone. Grandma and I got out and went to the market and I worked some more on my project. That’s about it.” 

“How is that coming?” Finn said ask as they took a bite.

“Not too bad. I finally got the tower to light up on the Dryl model by voice activation so I think I’m done with it for now. I got started on the big one, the old Fright Zone layout, but I’m not very far along. That one isn’t going to be easy, not like the Bright Moon model was, cause the scale I’ve been using is going to make it huge and from the pictures I’ve seen there’s so many shapes and details on it. If I don’t put it off and start on the Kingdom of Snows palace instead, I might have to change the scale,” Izzy said as she fiddled with a piece of bread. “I mean, I guess I don’t have to, I can leave it at scale and it should just fill a dining room table. The hardest part is it’ll be tall too I think. Wherever I build it is probably where it’s going to live because moving it will be a pain.” 

Izzy went silent and stared off into the distance as she thought through it. Finn took a few bites and waited on her. Finally she looked back at Finn and said, “Seventy-five percent of current scale would probably make it not so bad.”

Finn smiled and said, “Glad you have a solution.” 

Izzy smiled a little and said, “You know, that’s why I like spending time with you. Anyone else would have been bugging me but you let me work it through and I know you’re not being sarcastic when you say that.”

“I get that from my moms,” Finn said, a little shyly. “I used to have moments when I was a kid where I’d be really quiet for a really long time and my moms would always wait it out. I just kind of picked it up I guess.” 

Izzy nodded and they ate a little in silence. Finn wanted to blurt out how they were feeling right then and there but the silence was friendly and Finn found themselves too nervous to say it. Instead Finn said, “What do you think the next play should be for the group?” 

Izzy looked at Finn a little oddly and said, “I don’t know. Not really my thing honestly. I mean, you all act really well but I’m just happy to build sets and string lights and work out technical stuff.”

“You don’t have any idea?” Finn said

“The only plays I really know are the ones we’ve done,” Izzy said with a shrug. 

Finn nodded and felt themselves trying to figure out where to go from there when suddenly they had a flash of inspiration. 

“You actually gave me an idea then. How do you feel about tons of lighting, special effects, and fancy set design?” Finn said with a grin. 

Izzy got a little wide eyed and put her elbow on the table and leaned into her hand as she said, “Continue.” 

“ _The Summer of the Snow,_ ” Finn said. “It’s got a pretty decent cast requirement but it also needs to be able to simulate snow as well as have it disappear pretty quickly, the sets have to be able to shift around with actors on them including creating disappearances on stage for them to reappear further down stage, it has multiple lighting needs, and I’m pretty sure there’s a part that’d call for a flying rig. I saw it once at Mystacor and they just used illusions for almost everything but I’d love to do it with practical effects. Whatta you think?” 

Izzy went silent again and stared straight ahead at Finn. Finn watched her deep brown eyes as they unfocused a little as she thought. She stayed that way for a few moments and then her hands came up and made a few gestures like she was turning something and then set down on the table and fiddled a little. Finally her eyes focused again and she said, “I want to see the master work plan!”

Finn smiled at the light in her eyes and said, “I’ll find it tomorrow.”

Izzy sat back and gave her small smile again that Finn was beginning to recognize as what would be a big smile on anyone else. 

“I don’t even know if there’s a call for it but I absolutely have to do a Pepper’s ghost trick in this if we can make it work,” Izzy said. “I read about those a while back and, well, it just has to be done.” 

“I’m not sure I know that one,” Finn said as they leaned forward. 

Izzy leaned forward as well and started gesturing again with her hands as she said, “It’s named for an illusionist who lived in Plumeria about a hundred years ago. Pepper would make what looked like ghosts appear on stage. She was really good at it too and people thought it was real magic at first. The setup is really straightforward. Basically you have a giant pane of very clean glass at an angle to the audience and down below out of sight you have someone who’s very well lit. They show up on the glass and it looks like they’re transparent and on stage. Please tell me there’s a call for something like that in the play.”

Finn thought for a moment, remembering the play, and said slowly, “Maybe? I know there’s a scene where someone disappears and then reappears and we could redo it where maybe they go transparent and move down stage instead. It shouldn’t affect the scene for them to be transparent at all. I know one small theater house did it by just having the actor put on a black shroud and then the actors pretended like they couldn’t see them.” 

“We could do it through the trapdoor!” Izzy said as her eyes lit up even more than they already were. “That’d make it even better! Because the audience might notice a big plate of glass at the front of the stage but they’ll be less likely to notice it, especially if actors move in front of it and then it looks like the image is in the middle of the stage! The lighting will be tricky but if we get it right, it’ll be _spectacular!_ ”

Finn had a big smile as they watched Izzy start talking about different ways to pull it off. She was animated as she gestured in large motions. Her eyes flashed with joy as she mimed pulling on a line to raise and lower the glass. Then she started brainstorming different ideas she had on how to make sets move and how to do lighting with the equipment they had and how much building they were going to need. Finn threw in some thoughts as they both worked through the ideas which brought on other ideas. Finn was pretty sure that some of them wouldn’t even be of use for the play but they had no problem with that. It was fun just to talk about it.

Finn could almost see her in her backstage coverall covered in dust and grime when she said, “Finn, we’re going to need _so many_ people for the backstage! I mean, it’s not like I even know how any of this will fit in but we’re going to have to have probably twice as many as we normally do. I can’t _wait_ to see the master work plan! You think the rest of the crew will be on board with doing this?” 

Finn smiled and said, “I bet they will especially when you tell them about your ideas.”

Izzy suddenly got quiet and withdrawn and Finn gave a frown as she nervously pushed her hair back tightly behind her ear, exposing a stub of horn near her hairline as the fluffy hair laid back a bit more than normal. 

“I’m not, uh, I don’t think I want to have to do that,” Izzy said. “I’d rather you tell everyone.” 

Finn, still leaning forward, said, “I can if you want but can I ask why you don’t want to? You’re basically the backstage manager already, I think everyone would like to hear what you have to say.”

Izzy crossed her hands across her stomach and tapped her fingers on her knuckles as she looked down and said, “I just, well, I just don’t like talking to a bunch of people. I don't know why it’s different when I’m working backstage but it is.”

She looked back up at Finn and said, “Please don’t make me.” 

Finn smiled at her and held their hands up as they said, “I won’t, I promise. I’m sorry if I made it feel awkward.”

Izzy nodded and looked away and said, “It’s ok. I know I’m weird, I just, well, I just feel comfortable around _you_ and that’s why I could tell you about it.”

Finn said, “I know how that is. I’ve told you about how I came to live with my moms. When I was here at first, I was scared to talk a lot. Before my moms started raising me people didn’t want to hear from me and, well, made sure I knew it. Thank you though, for trusting me.” 

Izzy gave a small smile and said, “Thank you for being who you are.” 

Izzy sat for a moment looking into Finn’s eyes and she reached forward to take their hand and Finn felt like now was the time, now was the moment, and they had their mouth open to say it but something in her face they didn’t really recognize stopped them. She looked at Finn in a way they’d never seen before and so Finn backed off and looked down with a smile instead and said, “Well thank you for being you.” 

Izzy squeezed Finn’s hand and said, “Can I tell you something I’ve never told _anyone?_ ”

Finn looked back up and said, “Sure.” 

Izzy said, “I really hate myself most of the time. I tell people all the time that I like to work with my hands because I like being creative but really it’s because when I do, I just think about the work and not about me.” 

Finn reached forward and took her other hand in theirs. Finn wasn’t sure what to say. They looked at Izzy and saw a wonderful person, someone who filled their heart with joy, who was sincere, warm, creative, and smart and they couldn’t imagine how she’d not see that. Izzy looked down as the silence stretched and she was starting to shift uncomfortably when Finn blurted out, “I don’t know how you feel that because I think you’re the most wonderful person I’ve ever met.” 

Izzy’s head snapped back up with a look of surprise on her face. 

“Why would you say that?” she said. 

“Because it’s true! When you start talking about a subject you’re interested in you’re so intent, so alive! You’re incredibly talented! With your models or your stagecraft or when you’re trying to solve a problem you’re just so, wow! Sure you’re quiet but you care and when you speak it’s what you think and how could I not think that all of that and more is wonderful? You’re wonderful,” Finn said with an urgent tone.

Izzy pulled her hand back and said, “Finn, stop it. You know real wonderful people. You know Queen Glimmer, you know all the princesses. And your moms! They’re amazing! How can you say I’m the most wonderful person you know when your Mom is… is SHE-RA!? What am I to that? What am I to any of that? Just some stupid girl who makes a few stupid models.” 

Finn looked at her and felt like weeping. Izzy looked so lost and sad as she said it. Finn started to reach out for her hand again but she crossed her arms over her chest and Finn stopped. 

“But… you’re… you’re Izzy,” Finn said quietly as their ears flattened. “You really are wonderful.” 

Izzy looked up at them with tears in her eyes. She pulled her hair back so Finn could see the stubs of her horns sticking up out of her hair and said, “See these, Finn? You never ask about these but I know you’ve seen them. See how they’re cut back? I’m a product of two people I hate, one who I inherited _this_ from and I have to be reminded of them every day because of it. I cut it back because at least I don’t have to look like them on the outside. 

“Everyone says that a person is the result of their parents and you know what, they’re right. You’re amazing because you were raised by two amazing people but I’m just me because I was raised by two awful people and it’s only in the last few years that I’ve gotten away from that but it’s too late for me. I’m them, I’m worthless, and that’s just how it is, it’s just who I am. I can fight it all I want but one day, I’m going to be them. I’m definitely not _wonderful._ ” 

“Izzy, you are though,” Finn said quietly. “You really are.”

Izzy sighed and stood up as she said, “No. I’m not. I’m leaving. I’m sorry for ruining the night.” 

Finn jumped to their feet, knocking over their chair, and said, “You haven’t! I promise! You don’t have to go, it’s alright!” 

Izzy was already half turned to go when she looked back at Finn and said, “Finn, _stop_. I know screwing up because really, it’s all I do, and I screwed this up. Good-bye, Finn. Please just… just let me leave. I can do that right at least.” 

Izzy looked at Finn for a second longer and then resignedly sighed before walking back into the house. Finn watched her go all the way to the front door where she paused again. Finn started to walk forward then, thinking she’d changed her mind but she never turned around. She just opened the door and left. Finn walked slowly into the living room and listened to the silence of the house. They carefully took off the jacket they’d put on and sat it down across the back of Adora’s chair. They felt vaguely stupid for having even tried to dress up.

As Finn stood there they suddenly felt like screaming. They felt like they were going to explode with the hurt that was expanding inside of themself. Finn just stood there and felt like nothing mattered at all and at the same time they wanted to chase her down. They wanted to tell her that they loved her, that this wasn’t anything, that people go through hard spots all the time, that they’d make it through, but even as Finn took a step towards the door they remembered Izzy saying to just let her go and knew that they’d just make it worse if they didn’t respect what she’d asked.

Finn collapsed onto the floor and sobbed.

The Best Friends Squad came walking back up the road several hours later. The light hanging over the front gate swung in a gentle breeze in the night air. The four were laughing as they each talked about their favorite part from their ongoing game. Bow said, “Catra, then you said, ‘Hey, make the roll or not, I’m still going through the window.’ That was great!”

Adora laughed as well and said, “Well, to be fair, she did go through the window.” 

Catra grinning said, “It seemed a good option at the time. It’s not my fault I forgot that we were on the second floor of the inn.” 

Glimmer gave her a good natured push as she said, “I mean, yeah, it kind of is but that was way too good a moment to ruin. That’s why I put the hay wagon there for your character to fall into.” 

As the four came to a stop by the gate, Bow looked up at the house and said, “I’m so excited to find out how their night went. I don’t know how you all can be so calm about this.” 

Glimmer hugged Bow and pulled him down to give him a kiss and said, “We’re excited too, honey, we’re just being better at waiting to find out. Should we go in?

Adora smiled and said, “You bet. I’d love to meet this girl that’s got Finn all excited.”

Catra said, “Besides, I’ve got that cheesecake made. After game snack everyone?” 

Everyone agreed and they went walking to the door. As they walked in Catra was first in and noticed the jacket slung over the back of the chair and saw the lanterns on the back porch still flickering. She saw something small and furry jump off the table from where it’d been eating the leftovers left on the table and scurry back into the bushes. The other three suddenly stopped chatting as Catra went silent and walked to the back door and noticed one of the chairs had been knocked over. She walked into the backyard and sniffed the air for smoke from the fire pit, thinking maybe they were down there but there was nothing.

The other three followed Catra back onto the patio and saw the turned over chair and leftover dinner setting. Adora, suddenly nervous, said, “Is something wrong?” 

“I think so,” Catra said. 

Glimmer looked at them and said, “Do we need to leave?”

“Could you stay? Just to be sure everything is alright?” Adora said. 

“Of course,” Glimmer said. “I just didn’t want us in the way. It looks like they didn’t even get through dinner and I have a feeling that Finn is probably not in good shape.” 

Catra gave Glimmer a hug and said, “Sparkles, you’re never in the way. Come on. We know the drill. I’m first in, I’ll call for backup if needed.” 

Adora shook her head and said, “Not this time, Catra. Let me handle it. Please?” 

Catra nodded her head, and Adora thought it looked like she was a little relieved, and said, “Alright. I’m going to get that cheesecake together then and we’ll wait in the kitchen.” 

They all went back inside and Adora went down the hallway. She could see the lights were off and knocked on the door of Finn’s room quietly. She didn’t hear anything and she waited a moment before knocking again. Finally, she slowly opened the door a little and stuck her head inside. 

Years before, on the day Finn had come to live with them, they’d torn up one of Adora’s work tents and turned it into a canopy for Finn’s bed that hid it entirely. It had given little Finn a sense of protection then and over the years it had been modified in many ways. One of them was it had flaps that could be tied back, both to make it easier to get into but also so it wasn’t perpetually dark in the bed. Finn had been leaving the flaps open for years but that night as Adora looked in, she saw the flaps not only weren’t open but had been tied tightly closed. She leaned back to take a breath and jumped a little as she saw all three of the others standing right behind her. 

“Well?” Glimmer whispered.

“What happened to cheesecake!?” Adora whispered back.

“Don’t change the subject,” Catra whispered fiercely.

“I don’t know! Bow! Stop looking at me like that! All of you! Go! Cheesecake!” Adora whispered as Bow looked on with huge eyes.

Finn could hear them whispering in the hallway. They were curled up in the bed, still wearing the same clothes, and hugging an old stuffed whale. They thought about going to tell them what had happened but the thought of having to face two happy couples and tell them that their heart was shattered just didn’t seem possible. Finn hugged the whale tighter as they started crying again. 

_You’d think I wouldn’t have anything left in me,_ Finn thought. They heard three of them going back down the hall and then heard someone come into the room. 

Adora could hear sniffling coming from inside the canopy as she got closer and said, “Finn, honey, do you want to talk about it?”

Finn shook their head, even though they knew Adora couldn’t see them, but didn’t say anything. Adora looked down at the side of Finn’s desk and saw that all of the scripts, notes, and other theater paperwork they normally kept in pride of place on the desk was shoved into the trash can, where it spilled out onto the floor around it. Adora felt tears start to run down her face as she knelt down in the dark room and began to carefully pull everything back out. She started making a stack on the floor next to her of the contents of the can and when she was done with that, she sat down next to the stack and picked up the parts that had fallen around the trash can and stacked them up as well. 

Finn lay on the bed and listened to the sounds of paper being moved around and thought they heard Adora sniffle a little. Finn wanted to say something, find out what was going on and talk with her but just couldn’t. She wasn’t the person Finn wanted to talk with right now.

_And I probably won’t get to talk to her ever again,_ Finn thought and that didn’t bring just tears but a fresh round of sobs. 

Adora looked up when she heard the sobbing start. She shuffled over to the flaps on the canopy and said through it, “Finn, honey, I can tell whatever happened, it was bad. Will you talk with me, please?” 

Finn wiped at their eyes and finally said, “Go _away_ , Mom.” 

Adora heard the pain in Finn’s voice and she wanted to help so much. She tentatively started to reach up to undo the ties on the flaps and her hand stopped and hovered over the knots. Finally she sighed and her hand fell back to her lap. She stood up and said, “Finn, I’m so sorry you’re hurting. We’re here for you when you’re ready. I’m going to leave now like you asked.” 

Adora stood there hoping to hear something else but after a moment she just heard Finn trying to not cry loudly enough to be heard and felt defeated. She picked up the stacks she’d made of the thrown away things and walked out of the room. She sat everything down for a moment to shut the door and then picked it backed up and went on down the hall. In the kitchen, the other three sat at the table and watched her as she sat down the stacks on the table, then sat down herself and put her head on the table. No one said anything at first until finally Catra broke the silence.

“What happened?” she said. 

Adora sat up and wiped at her eyes while she said, “I don’t know. It must have not gone well at all. They threw all their theater stuff on their desk away and they’re in bed crying with the canopy tied shut. I tried to talk with them but all they said was that they wanted me to go away. I saved all the theater stuff so at least there was _something_ I could do.” 

Catra came over and hugged Adora. Bow and Glimmer came around and gave them a hug as well. After a few moments they all sat back down and they looked at the stuff sitting on the table. Bow picked up a script and flipped through it. It was full of notes Finn had made about the play’s structure, changes to be made and acting notes on different ways to do roles. Bow sighed and set it back on the table. 

“It’s gotta be bad if they’re throwing all this stuff away. The most excited I’ve ever seen that kid is over the theater. I’d say it’s their life so to see this…,” Bow said gesturing at the stacks before trailing off. 

Glimmer sat at the table tapping her fingers and starting to look angry as her wings ruffled back and forth. Finally she said, “She broke their heart. I don’t know how, I don’t why but I am going to go find her and say, well, something! I don’t know what but I’m making a list on the way!”

“Whoa, easy there. Maybe don’t go track her down and go ham on her. We don’t know what went down. Maybe she was malicious about it and broke Finn’s heart or it was the both of them mishandling the situation and they broke each other’s heart and don’t realize it or Finn screwed up and is now regretting it, it could be any of these things,” Catra said as she took a deep breath. “It could be none of those things but the thing I _do_ know is that we’re letting Finn handle it how Finn wants to handle it. If they want our advice they’ll ask.” 

Bow took Glimmer’s hand and said, “That means no horrific vengeance, Starlight.” 

Glimmer gave Bow a look and said, “Yes, I got that.”

Bow kissed her hand and said, “I know but it never hurts to say it again.” 

Glimmer sighed and said, “I wish there was something we can do.”

Adora pushed at the paper a little and then gave a defeated sigh and said, “There is. Nothing, we do nothing. It’s not our problem until Finn asks us to make it our problem. Until then, we wait.” 

“I love Capella and I am not looking forward to this for her,” Bow said. 

“Especially since she seems to have got my temper, his cleverness, and the Bright Moon stubbornness,” Glimmer said. 

“Well we’ll give you advice when it’s that time,” Catra said. 

They all wrapped up the evening then. There were hugs and thanks were given for help and then with a flash of sparkles, Catra and Adora were alone in the kitchen. They stood there for a moment and Adora said, “I’m going to go get a box for this stuff.” 

Catra nodded and went to the living room. She picked up the jacket that was laying over the chair and held it carefully. When Adora came back a minute later and started placing things into the box, Catra looked up and said, “You know, when Finn found this and asked if they could wear it, I was happy and thought finally, some happy memories for this old thing. I swear I think it’s cursed now. I’m tempted to chuck it.” 

Adora walked over and took it from Catra’s hand and said, “It’s not cursed, it’s just a jacket. I’d say I have terrible memories of it but honestly, it reminds me of a dance and while the rest of that day was terrible, and I didn’t realize it at the time, those few minutes are precious to me. So if you don’t want it, I’ll take it. I’m not afraid of a curse. You and I, we’ll face any curse and kick it in its teeth.” 

Catra hugged Adora close. The two stood and slowly swayed in the living room together, moving to music only the two of them could hear. Catra slowly dipped Adora backwards and then as they stood back up, they shared a kiss. 

“Well I still say it’s cursed but if it’s cursing me to dance with you, then we’ll deal with it,” Catra said. “I’m going to clean up the patio real quick so we don’t have any more late night critter visits and then I think I’m going to hang out in the living room.” 

“You’re hoping to catch Finn coming out aren’t you?” Adora said as she went to pick up the box. 

“Of course I am,” Catra said as she opened the back door. 

“Try not to stay up too late,” Adora said. “And if you fall asleep on the couch, at least try not to kick all the cushions off this time.”

“Yes, because I’m very good at controlling things when I’m, you know, asleep,” Catra said on her way to the patio.

After everything was cleaned up and Adora had placed the box of Finn’s things in her office and gone to bed, Catra settled down on the couch with a sketchbook and some pencils. After warming up a little with some spirals and circles she tried to sketch the view of the kitchen as fast as she could. She sighed at the result. She remembered years before when she would have been thrilled with how it looked but now she could see all the problems. She tried again and did a bit better. She started again and then stopped and scribbled her pencil across the page in frustration. 

Catra stood up and set the sketchbook and pencils down on the table and quietly walked down the hallway and sat down outside Finn’s door and listened. She waited there in the hall and stayed as still as possible so she could hear. Finally, she heard Finn crying softly and she suddenly wished she had just stayed in the living room. 

She knew if she went in there, after they’d already told Adora to leave, it wouldn’t help anything and probably make it worse. They’d worked hard over the years to get Finn to understand that they could set boundaries and even their moms would respect them. The only rule is that they still had to give a response if they said they were checking in to be sure they were still responsive. Catra felt like breaking the boundary but this wasn’t some dangerous situation and she knew it would have been for her benefit, not Finn’s, to go in there now and try to do something after they’d been clear on being left alone. 

Instead she sat against the wall and listened, crying a little herself, as she listened to Finn’s crying slowly give way to deep breathing. When she was sure they were asleep, she walked to her bedroom, changed, and crawled in next to Adora sleeping soundly. She snuggled up to her and managed to go to sleep herself. 

The next morning found Catra and Adora sitting around the table for breakfast. They had set Finn’s place but they still hadn’t come out. There was no hard and fast rule that they had to come out for meals though but it was still odd for them not to do so these days. They went ahead and started eating, each of them trying to talk about plans for the day while still flicking eyes towards the hall and hoping to hear Finn coming down the hall. Finally, after breakfast was done, Adora sighed and said, “I’m going to go tell them that I’m putting it in the fridge for them.” 

Catra said, “Are you sure we should bother them at all?” 

“I’m not going to open the door and I won’t ask for a response. I’m just going to tell them,” Adora said. “But I will do a check in with them this evening if we haven’t heard.” 

Catra sat and thought about it and said, “That’s fair.” 

Adora walked down the hall again and saw the door was shut. She listened for a moment and heard the sink running in Finn’s bathroom. She gave a gentle knock and heard the sink turn off. 

“Honey, I hope you’re doing ok this morning. You missed breakfast. I wrapped it up and it’s in the fridge,” Adora said and then stood at the door hoping for an answer that didn’t come. “I’m going to be out today. I love you.” 

She walked away down the hall, feeling lost and not sure what to do now. In their room, Finn stood by the bathroom door and quietly said, “I love you too, Mom.” 

They’d been up for a little bit and had wanted to go out and get breakfast but just couldn’t stand the thought of facing their moms just yet. When they’d woke up for a split moment they had been alright. Everything was good in the world and then they remembered the night before and went crashing down again. They’d cried again then, hugging the stuffed whale close, and then had got up and at least drank some water to try and cope with their pounding head. That was where Finn had been standing when they’d heard Adora at the door. 

Finn took off the clothes from the night before and threw them in a corner and changed into something loose and comfortable before sitting down at their desk. They noticed all the stuff they’d shoved off the desk in a brief fit of anger and then crammed into the trash can was gone now. 

_Mom must have picked it up when she was in here last night. Or threw it out. Who cares. Good riddance,_ Finn thought, although a small ache formed in their chest at the thought of it in the garbage but Finn shoved it down. They tried to think of what they should have done differently, how they could have made things go better the night before but couldn’t think of something. 

_What was I thinking? Wonderful. Gah, the look on her face. She hates me,_ Finn thought. _But she IS wonderful. I miss her. Oh, I miss her._

Finn started crying as they held their head in their hands but it wasn’t a long cry before it trailed off. That scared Finn a little because they felt like they were starting to go numb and were afraid they were broken, that they would stop feeling entirely. Another part of Finn though felt like they’d welcome that.

_If I don’t feel, I don’t hurt, and if I don’t hurt, I can just go on with my life,_ Finn thought. 

Finn sighed and laid their head sideways on the table and stared at a big shelf. It was full of books, scripts, notebooks, a few trophies, and assorted knick-knacks and small treasures Finn had collected over the years. Finn felt the urge to throw it all away as well but the fire wasn’t there like it was the night before when they’d cleared the desk and they just sighed again instead. As they sat there, their eyes fell on a fresh notebook that they’d just bought a few weeks before and hadn’t used yet and they had an idea. 

They stood and grabbed the notebook and a pen and then sat back down at the desk again. They opened it and hesitated before they started writing. 

_Dear Izzy,_

Finn began before stopping and ripping the page from the notebook and throwing it over their shoulder. 

_Dearest Izzy,_

_I was serious last night when I said that you were the wonderful. When you said that you hated yourself, I just can’t understand because how could you!? You’re just fantastic and how could you hate yourself!?_

Finn sighed and tore that one out and crumbled it up and threw that over their shoulder. They sat tapping the pen against the page trying to think of what to say. 

_My sweet beloved Izzy who I want to see more than I want to draw breath,_

Finn screwed their eyes tight shut and felt some tears slip out as they thumped the desk. They tore that one out and stared at it before letting it slip to the floor. Finn stared at the blank page and then wrote out a line they remembered from a poem.

_I am troubled by the one whose face has the beauty of spring flowers._

Finn tore that one out and sat it up at the corner of their desk. After more false starts and balled up pieces of paper and tears, Finn finally looked at what they’d written. It was one of the last pieces of paper left in the book at that point but Finn felt like they had down what they wanted to say.

_My dearest Izzy,_

_I wish I had been more understanding last night. I know now that blurting out that I thought you were wonderful was maybe not what you were looking for when you told me what you did. After all, you did say it was something you had never told anyone and I should have been more careful with what you were trusting me with. The last thing I ever wanted to do was to hurt you or dismiss what you were feeling. Izzy, you mean the world to me. I’m so sorry that I hurt you and made you feel like the only thing you could do was to leave._

_Last night was supposed to be something happy for the both of us, or so I hoped it would have been. I had something I had wanted to say to you but I didn’t. I almost did but missed my chance so I’m going to write it here instead. If you see this then I got the courage to send it. If you don’t, well, I didn’t._

_Over this last month that we’ve been hanging out I’ve found myself thinking of you more and more and more. When I was in Seaworthy, I was sitting in the alley where I had met my moms and even though that alley was full of bad memories, and one good one, I didn’t think much of that. I thought of you. I could feel something that I had thought I knew but felt it in a way that I never have before. I thought about it and turned it around and thought some more and that night I asked my moms about it._

_I remember Mother looking at me and saying, “You know what that means right?”_

_I said I thought I did and Mom asked me if I wanted her to tell me and I said I did._

_“Honey, I think you love her,” Mom said._

_She was right. I love you, Izzy. I should have said it to you last night. I want to say it to you face to face right now. Maybe it would have been the same result. Maybe you don’t feel the same way. Maybe you just want to be friends or don’t even want to see me anymore. Whatever you decide, that's your choice and I’ll respect it. I refuse to be another person in your life that you hate but I had to at least write this. Maybe we’ll look back on this and laugh. Maybe we’ll never see each other again. Maybe there’s some in between here. I don’t know._

_I love you,_

_Finn_

Finn looked at the letter and read it through again. They didn’t know what else to say and felt like this was too much to say. 

_Should I be giving a declaration of love by a letter? Should I wait? But what if I never see her again? What if I never see her again?_ Finn thought and held the letter up as they laid their head on the desk again and cried.

Finn finally settled down a little and folded the letter up in a little origami fold that kept it closed, wrote Izzy’s name on the outside, and put it on the desk. Finn felt hollow and emotionless as they stared at it sitting in the middle of their empty desk. Then their stomach rumbled and they realized it was a little past noon and they hadn’t eaten since the night before. They felt their shoulders slump and decided to go and at least eat the breakfast that had been set aside. 

_Glad moms are out all day today,_ Finn thought as they shuffled out of their room and down the hall to the kitchen. _Not sure I’m ready for that yet._

They got into the kitchen and found the food and stood leaning against the sink as they ate the cold food with their hands. The food seemed to have no taste and they ate mechanically before dumping half of it in the trash and setting the plate in the sink. Then they heard an intake of breath and turned around to see Catra standing at the opposite hallway that went down towards the home offices. 

“I’m sorry, kiddo, I didn’t realize you were out of your room. Do I need to leave?” Catra said.

Finn felt a flash of annoyance at seeing her standing there. They didn’t know why but there it was and they didn’t think when they said, “Do whatever you want, Mother. I don’t care.” 

Catra frowned but kept her tone even and said, “Finn, it’s alright. If you’re not feeling like seeing anyone right now, I can go back to my office.”

Finn felt their ears flattening backwards on their head and said, “Mother, what part of I don’t care did you not get?” 

Catra felt a little anger shoot through her. She wasn’t sure what to say so went for what had worked before. 

“Finn, do you want to talk about it?” she said. 

Finn suddenly shouted, “No! I don’t want to talk about it! Everything is screwed up and I hate it! Why do you both keep badgering me about it!? Maybe I just want to be alone to deal with it but no, it’s ‘Finn, Finn, Finn’ all the time! You don’t understand so just leave me ALONE!” 

Catra said as calmly as she could, “Finn, we’ve barely said anything to you since last night. We’re worried and we want to help if you want us to.” 

Finn looked at her with narrowed eyes and shouted back at her, “How!? You’ve always just had your perfect little relationship with Mom from the start and neither of you understand because why would you!? At least you two got to spend a bunch of time together and then just have it pretty much be destined for you two to be together! What’d you really have to do to work for it!? Nothing! You two don’t get it, you won’t get it, so just STOP! Stop trying to help me!”

Catra stood there for a moment in shock and then suddenly spit out in anger, “Don’t you _dare!_ I love you with all of my being but I will _not_ let you stand there and say that we had it easy in some way just because you’re feeling bad! I was a terrible person and by all rights your Mom should hate me and never want to see my face. For years after we got together I lived in terror she’d finally wake up and realize what I was and leave. I still have that fear. We worked HARD at our relationship for it to be what it is now. We still work hard at it and I get that you’re hurting because of whatever happened and you’re lashing out but you do not get to treat other people like trash because of it. I will not tolerate it! I will not let you be the kind of person that I used to be! _Do you understand me, Finn_?”

Finn hung their head down and didn’t say anything. They couldn’t remember the last time their Mother had been angry like that at them and wasn’t even sure they ever had been. Catra took a step forward and wanted to take them in her arms but then she stopped.

“Finn,” she said quietly and sadly. “I asked a question and I’d like it if you answered me, please.”

Finn nodded and wiped at some tears. Catra sighed and leaned against a chair. 

“Do I need to go?” she said. 

Finn was still looking at the floor and didn’t know what to say. They wanted her to go but at the same time they wanted her to hold them and tell them it was going to be ok. Finn didn’t know what to say and just stood there sniffling and shaking a little. Finally, Catra slowly walked over to them and carefully put a hand on their shoulder and said, “Finn? I’m checking in.”

Finn looked up at her with tears in their eyes and said, “Please don’t go.” 

Then Finn lunged forward into Catra’s arms and Catra held them as they cried. They sank onto the floor of the kitchen and Catra rocked them gently and stroked carefully between their ears as she whispered over and over, “It’s ok, let it out, let it out.” 

After Finn calmed down a little, Catra helped them off the floor. She walked with them to the living room and sat them down on their favorite couch. She wrapped a throw around them and said, “I’m going to go get you a glass of water and a wet towel alright?” 

Finn nodded and Catra went to the kitchen, got them and came back. 

“Drink it all please,” Catra said as she handed Finn the glass. Finn drank it as told and Catra took the glass from them and sat it down. Then she sat down beside Finn and carefully wiped at their eyes with the warm damp towel, clearing away the crusties from sleeping and crying. After she was done, Finn lay down and put their head in her lap and Catra gently rubbed at their back. 

Adora came home a little while later and found them both asleep on the couch. She smiled at Finn’s sleeping face and was happy that they’d decided to come out. Catra woke up when she heard Adora carefully shut the door. Finn shifted a little but kept sleeping. Adora pointed at Finn with a quizzical look on her face and Catra gave her a look back that was just tired. Adora nodded, sat her bag down, and went to sit in her recliner. The two sat there for a few minutes and Finn slowly came awake. 

“Hey, Mom,” Finn said as they sat up and pulled the throw tighter around themself. “I’m sorry I didn’t talk to you earlier when you were outside the room.”

“Don’t be sorry, honey,” Adora said. “I’m glad you came out.” 

Finn looked at Catra and Catra looked back and said, “I’m glad you did too, kiddo.” 

Finn for just a moment almost took the chance Catra gave them to let it go but sighed and said, “Mom, I got into a fight with Mother earlier. I didn’t know she was home and I was in the kitchen and I yelled at her and said something I shouldn’t have about both of you. I’m sorry, that wasn’t right.”

“I forgive you, Finn,” Adora said as she got up and gave them a hug. Finn moved over and Adora sat down beside them as Catra scooted in closer and they both hugged Finn. After a moment, Finn told them briefly what had happened the night before and then about the letter that they’d written earlier. They cried a little again but with their moms on either side, it seemed a little easier to remember. Not much, but a little. 

“I don’t know what to do. I didn’t even get to tell her what I had to say but I feel like if I send the letter she’ll hate it. She’ll hate me even more than she does now,” Finn said as they started to sniffle.

“Honey, you don’t know she hates you,” Adora said. “For all you know she’s at home right now thinking about how she shouldn’t have run out.”

“She’s probably sitting at home working on a model and not even thinking about me,” Finn said with a little bit of bitterness. 

Catra said, “Finn, don’t. Don’t do that. Don’t try and guess what someone else is thinking about like that. You’re going to build up this person in your mind and put thoughts in their head and you’re going to do things based off it and they’ll be wrong because that is not the same as that person. Ok?”

Finn nodded and then said, “But what should I do?”

“What do you want to do?” Adora and Catra said at the same time. 

Finn sat there and thought. They waited for them and Finn finally said, “I want to send her the letter. I think.” 

Adora hugged them and said, “Well you have time. Can I ask you something?” 

Finn nodded. 

“I picked up all the stuff you threw away last night and put it in a box. It’s in my office. Do you really want to throw it away?” Adora said. 

Finn shook their head and said, “No. I just saw it and thought of her and wanted to get rid of it. Thank you for saving it.” 

“It’s not a problem. It’s under my desk. Come get it whenever you’re ready for it, alright?” Adora said. 

Finn nodded again. 

Catra stood up and said, “I’m going to go make some dinner. Are there any requests?” 

“Something light,” Finn said. “My stomach feels terrible.” 

“It’s the crying, honey,” Adora said. “When they say you feel torn up, it’s kind of literal.” 

“I hate it,” Finn said sadly.

Catra leaned down and kissed between their ears and said, “I know it’ll sound trite but you will feel better eventually. It doesn’t last forever.” 

Finn just sighed. 

They had a subdued dinner. Finn walked to the table and looked out at the patio and then went and closed the blinds. Finn sat and picked at the salad and soup before them. Catra and Adora talked a little bit about work that day and a little bit about things they needed to do around the house but mostly it was just long stretches of silence. After a long moment of Finn not doing much of anything she said, “Honey, you need to at least drink something even if you don’t have an appetite, alright?” 

Finn nodded and drank down the glass of water in front of them. They refilled the glass from the pitcher on the table and took another sip before setting it back down. 

“Thank you,” Adora said. 

Finn looked at her and said quietly, “You’re welcome.” 

Adora reached out and gave Finn’s hand a squeeze and a smile. Finn gave a thin little smile back at her. Finn drank a little more water and ate a little bit more and finally stood and said, “I’m going back to my room now.”

Catra and Adora both stood up as they did and Adora said, “Ok. Can one of us check on you before we go to bed?” 

Finn nodded. Catra said, “Kiddo, two things. Be sure and change before you go to bed, it’ll make you feel a little better. Two, can we get a hug before you go?” 

Finn nodded again and the three met in a tight hug. They finally let Finn go. Finn walked down into their room and sat down on the edge of the bed and just stared at the note on the desktop. 

_Should I? Is there a point?_ Finn thought. They sighed and even though it was still early, they just went ahead and got ready for bed, being sure to change just like Catra had said and admitted that they did feel a bit better, as they lay down in bed and pulled the stuffed whale back to them. They considered closing the flaps on the canopy but settled for just pulling the one next to their head closed. As they hugged the whale they started talking to it. 

“What should I do Mx. Whale?” Finn whispered. 

Finn sat and acted like they were listening. It was something they’d done for years with their stuffed animals and they had carried on many a one-sided conversation with them. 

“But what if I just make her mad?” Finn whispered as if in response. 

Again, Finn sat and waited. 

“I don’t want to hurt her though. Well, hurt her more,” Finn said a little miserably and tried not to cry, unsuccessfully, at the thought. 

Finn waited a longer time this time and then sighed and said, “I’ll think about it. Thank you, Mx. Whale.” 

For the next two days, the letter sat on Finn’s desk as Finn got their classwork and did it at home. They felt a little better over the days but only if they didn’t think of Izzy which was hard because she kept popping up into their thoughts. On the second day, they decided they needed to get out of the house. They told their moms that morning, “I’m going to go to theater group tonight so don’t expect me for dinner.”

They flashed a look at the other and Adora said, “Are you sure you’re ready to see her if she’s there?”

Finn started to answer and then felt their throat get tight and shook their head. They took a breath and said, “No, I’m not sure but I need to get out. Besides it’s theater. It’s supposed to have drama.” 

Catra pointed at Finn and said, “No, do not make a joke of that.”

Finn said, “Sorry but I’m trying to get back to normal. That felt like a normal me joke.”

“It’s only been a few days. Don’t rush it, you’ll just get hurt more,” Adora said. 

“I’m still going though. If nothing else, I’m going to run in, tell them I won’t be around for a while, and just come home,” Finn said. 

“Well you know…,” Catra started to say.

“If I need anything, you’re both there for me. I know,” Finn said with a weak smile. 

As early evening came on, Finn was walking down the road towards the meeting room where the theater held meetings when they weren’t actively rehearsing. They kept reaching up to the letter in their shirt pocket to make sure it was still there. They’d sealed it with a little sticker they had and Finn had made a plan. If she was there, they’d try and give her the letter and then immediately leave. If she wasn’t, they’d try to find someone to act as messenger for them after the meeting. What Finn was not expecting was to walk into the room, not see her, and feel crushed. 

Finn realized, as people said hello to them and milled around waiting for the meeting to get going, that they had been expecting to see her and just skip the letter entirely. They’d secretly been hoping that she’d act like nothing had happened and just continue on as if the other night had never ever happened. Finn felt a crushing feeling weighing down on them when one of the stagehands named Caladium walked past Finn. Finn went up to him real quick and pulled the letter out of their pocket. 

“Cal, can you do me a favor please?” Finn said. 

“Maybe,” Caladium said as he turned to Finn and then frowned a little. “You look rough, Finn. You alright?” 

“No, I’m feeling really crummy all of a sudden. Listen, I was going to give this to Izzy but it doesn’t look like she’s here yet. Could you give it to her when she does get here or at least make sure she gets it?” Finn said. 

Caladium took it from Finn and said, “Sure. I’ll take it by on my way home if I don’t see her tonight. That good?” 

Finn nodded and said, “I’ve got an idea for a play we might do but I’ll bring it up later. You handle anything for me would you? I’ll be back next week.” 

Caladium nodded and said, “Finn, stop worrying. We got this.” 

Finn smiled wanly and said, “Thanks. For everything.”

Finn left and one of the actors came over to Caladium and said, “What was that all about?” 

Caladium shrugged and said, “Don’t have a clue. Got here, said they felt sick all of a sudden, and then left. Well, let’s get started I guess.” 

Finn walked just a short distance before they suddenly stopped.

_Go back and get that letter you idiot!_ they thought. _What are you THINKING!?_

Finn started to go back but froze. Their heart pounded in their chest and they stood on the side of the road, bent over with their hands on their knees like they’d just run a hard race. After a moment of conflict, they finally took a deep breath and then turned to go back to their house. 

When they walked in, they saw their moms on the back patio laughing about something. Finn started walking out there and stopped at the door. Catra and Adora both turned and looked at them. 

“Everything alright?” Adora said.

Finn sighed and went to sit down in a chair, being sure not to sit in either the one they’d sat in or the one Izzy had sat in that night. 

“Not really but it’s not an emergency. She wasn’t there and it turns out I was hoping she would be because I took the letter with me,” Finn said. 

“Well you can always deliver it another time,” Adora said. 

“I, um, I already did. I gave it to Caladium to take to her,” Finn said nervously. “I didn’t say what was in it.” 

Adora and Catra both stared at them for a moment. Finn got a little more uncomfortable and said, “Did I screw up?” 

“No, I know I was just wondering if you can trust him with this,” Catra said. 

Finn shrugged and said, “Yeah, I think I can. Well, I sure hope I can since I already have.” 

“Sorry, kiddo, I’m kind of bad about pointing out the worst case I guess,” Catra said. 

“Well if I had listened to your worst case in Seaworthy, I might have handled this a bit better,” Finn said a little miserably. “Been more prepared.”

Adora gave a chuckle and said, “I’m not laughing at you but trust me, you probably couldn’t have.”

Catra nodded and said, “It’s one thing to think you’re ready for rejection. It’s another to experience it.” 

“Well I’m tired of experiencing it,” Finn said. 

Adora was closest so she leaned over and gave Finn’s hand a squeeze in silent comfort.

They spent the evening out on the patio and while Finn didn’t talk much, they at least participated a bit more in the conversation. Finn kept glancing towards the front door, hoping to hear a knock, and every time they did Catra and Adora would do the same and then feel their hearts ache when Finn would look back again with a little frown and get just a little more quiet. 

Over the next few days they watched Finn go from nervously expectant to just nervously miserable. They would see them pacing in the garden, picking at their food, sitting for long periods on the front porch watching up and down the road, and laying on the couch staring at the ceiling. They were determined to wait it out and let Finn deal with it but on the third day, Adora finally stepped in against Catra’s advice. 

“Listen, I can’t just sit here and watch them slowly fall apart,” Adora said as she watched Finn standing miserably by the front gate for the third time that day. 

“Adora, I’m telling you, they need to work through this. If they want our help they’ll ask,” Catra said. 

Adora gave Catra a kiss and said, “I love you but I’m ignoring you on this.” 

Catra sighed and said, “Alright but I reserve the right for an I told you so.” 

Adora smiled and walked out to the front gate. Finn turned to see Adora coming and sighed. 

“You’re coming out here to tell me I’m being stupid aren’t you?” Finn said dejectedly. 

“No, I’m not. I’m coming out here to tell you that you need to go find something to keep you occupied,” Adora said. 

“Like what?” Finn said, looking down and kicking at the grass.

“Honestly, anything but this. Seriously. Your Mother told me not to come out here and to let you work this out but I’m taking this chance because it’s painful to watch you be like this. Maybe it’s selfish to intervene because it hurts to watch but I think you need to let go for now,” Adora said. 

Finn sighed and swiped at their eyes a little and said, “I know you’re right.”

Finn looked up and saw Catra peeking out a curtain next to the front door and gave a little snort and waved at her to come out. 

“I’m the new drama aren’t I?” Finn said with a resigned noise as Catra came out.

“Honey, that’s not how we think of it. We just see our child that we love hurting and we’re trying our best,” Adora said. 

Finn sat down on the ground and leaned back against the open gate as Catra walked up and said, “I told her not to bother you so please tell me I get a chance to say I told you so.” 

Finn shook their head and said, “Sorry, Mother, not this time. She actually had good advice.”

“So I get to say it. I told you so,” Adora said with a smirk.

Catra rolled her eyes as Finn shook their head again. 

“Any suggestions to keep busy? Forever?” Finn said. 

Catra chuckled and said, “Forever you say? Yeah, we’ve got plenty of yard stuff we’ve wanted done.”

Adora nudged her and said, “Catra! Come on, don’t try and get them to do work we’ve been putting off forever ourselves.”

Finn looked up with some interest and said, “No, that’s perfect. Come on, let’s make a list.” 

Adora felt conflicted but she couldn’t say no when she heard Finn actually sounding positive.

Adora sighed and said, “Fine, but not the stone wall project. That needs more than just a few people.”

The next couple of days saw Finn improving the fire pit area, trimming back the Bright Moon berry bushes, fixing up the compost heap’s walls, and building a raised bed next to the heap. Finn went to bed exhausted but also more importantly without a lot of thoughts going through their head because they were so exhausted. 

Finn woke up one morning and found that they were able to think about Izzy and not immediately feel like they had to fight tears. They still felt sad, they still missed her but Finn guessed that this was what the start of acceptance felt like. They went to their theater group that night and she still wasn’t there. Finn stayed for the whole thing, looking towards the door the whole time hoping she’d come in, and the group talked back and forth about what the next show should be. Finn waited and thought and didn’t join in for a long time as different ideas were put out and discussed. Finally, they spoke up, knowing what they had to say.

“We should do _The Summer of the Snow_ ,” Finn said, feeling sad at remembering how they’d thought of that one. “We’ll need more people for the backstage crew, we’ll probably need more actors too, but I think it’d be great.” 

“Uh, maybe that’s a bit ambitious for us?” someone said. 

“Well, yeah it is but come one. We can do great things can’t we?” Finn said.

People were nodding and some were telling others who hadn’t heard of it about it. Someone else spoke up and said, “We can probably do some magic for the effects but not a lot. It’d still free up the backstage some.”

Finn shook their head and said, “Nope. We should do it all practical.”

The whole room went silent.

“Are you serious?” Caladium said. “That’s, um, there’s ambitious and then there’s _that_ . Even the big theater troops use a _little bit_ of magic. Otherwise you’d have to change a lot of stuff up.”

Finn remembered talking with Izzy about all the ideas they had and tried to keep it together as they said, “We would but it’s doable and more importantly it’ll be ours.”

“We need Izzy then,” one of the other stagehands said reluctantly. “She’s clever. She’ll know how to do this.” 

Everyone turned to look at Finn. In that moment, Finn realized then that probably everyone had some idea that something had gone down between the two of them. Caladium looked a little abashed and Finn realized that they probably should have come up with a cover story for the letter if they hadn’t wanted the whole crew to know. 

_Be honest with yourself. We’re huge gossips. It still would have come to this,_ Finn thought. 

As the silence stretched, Finn realized they were waiting for a response from them. 

“Uh, yeah, we would. I mean, I think everyone here could do it but she is, um, capable, you know, at this,” Finn said and felt their face become blazing hot. 

Someone took pity on Finn at that moment and suggested another play to add to the list and the conversation started up again. The meeting broke up a little while later and Finn, who normally lingered and chatted with people until almost everyone had gone, was the first out the door. Caladium was hot on their heels though. 

“Finn, hang on, we gotta talk for a second,” Caladium said. 

Finn shook their head while they walked and said, “Sorry, I gotta get home.”

Caladium said, “Finn, it’s about Izzy.”

Finn stopped dead in their tracks and stood there before slowly turning around. Caladium continued on. 

“Listen, we all know something is going on between you two. I didn’t ask her what it was when I put the letter in her hand and I’m not asking you now but we all saw you two making time for just the two of you over the last month or so. Then you come back from Seaworthy and suddenly she’s not showing up anymore to the group or classes and you’re barely showing up yourself. You’re a big part of the actors and she’s a big part of the backstage, even if she won’t admit it. We can do it without you two if that’s what’s going to happen but you need to step up and say it,” Caladium said as he took a deep breath. “More importantly you better have not done her wrong in some way because I don’t know for sure but I think she’s been through a lot in her life and I’ll be damned if you put her through something as well.”

Finn stood there in shock. Caladium was normally a pretty mellow guy but now he seemed incredibly tense. His boyfriend stood back at the door to the building looking nervous at what had suddenly become a confrontation. Several other people were stacked up behind him and a more looked out the windows as Finn tried to think of something, anything, to say. 

“Did you? Is that why you’re not saying anything?” Caladium said. 

Finn shook their head and croaked out, “No, I mean, I don’t think so.”

Caladium narrowed his eyes and said, “What do you mean, you don’t think so. You’re going to need to do better than that.” 

“It’s private but I think it was just a misunderstanding. Cal, I promise, I really care about her. If I did something wrong it wasn’t intentional, I swear, I just wish I knew how she was doing,” Finn said.

Caladium stood there glowering at Finn for a moment before sighing and saying, “I shouldn’t even be involved in this but I will be clear as can be. If you did something bad, if you hurt her beyond just the usual relationship drama, I’m done. I’m leaving the group if you don’t and I’m taking as many people with me as I can, and let’s be honest, I think that’d be a lot of people.”

Finn nodded and said, “No, that’s fair and I’d do the same if I was you.”

Finn just stood there after that and Caladium looked at them and waited for them to say more. 

“What are you going to do?” he finally said. 

“I already did it with the letter,” Finn said sadly. “It’s her choice and I’m not going to hound her about it.”

Finn turned away then and started walking back up the road, tears forming in their eyes, when suddenly Caladium stepped up and put a hand on Finn’s shoulder. 

“Hey, Finn, I’m sorry but I just had to say what I had to say,” Caladium said. 

Finn turned around and wiped at their tears and said, “It’s alright, I understand, you’re just looking out for Izzy. It just sucks and I gotta go now because I don’t really want to do this in front of everyone anymore.” 

“You going to be ok? Does someone need to walk home with you?” Caladium said. 

Finn shook their head and took Caladium’s hand off their shoulder and gave it a squeeze before walking away again. They cried a little bit but nothing dramatic as they walked on through the night towards home.

The next night Finn was holed up in their room. Their moms were throwing a dinner party and the house was full of people. Finn had begged out of it and they’d been fine with letting them. Finn had finally brought all their theater stuff back into the room that day and had spent a little time putting it back on the shelf and was now sitting at the desk trying to concentrate on reading through a script and making notes about it but they just couldn’t keep their mind focused. 

From the back patio, Finn could hear some of the crowd start singing. Finn was a little sad that they had missed out on that because while most of the songs were older songs from the war or right after, Finn found that they really liked some of them. They were full of energy if nothing else and were really fun to belt out, especially in a large group. Finn heard the laughter of some of the kids that had come with their parents as they ran around out back. Finn finally sighed and decided they weren’t going to get anything done and was honestly tired of being by themselves and stood up to go join the party. 

_First person who asks about her though and I’m leaving,_ Finn thought as they walked out into the kitchen and ran immediately into their Auntie Frosta. 

“Finn! I was hoping I’d get to see you!” she said as she sat down the platter she’d been carrying out to the back and gave them a big hug. “Tern and Eider are both here. You’ll have to come say hello.” 

Finn hugged her back and smiled. Frosta’s partners rarely left the Kingdom of Snows even when she did so it was a treat for them to be present. 

“I will. I’m just going to get some of the punch real fast before I go back there,” Finn said. 

Frosta had heard about the thing with Izzy, the old friends had a good conversational grapevine going between them all, and thought about saying something but instead just smiled. 

“Well, don’t be too long. I gotta tell you about the new novel. I think you’ll really love it,” Frosta said as she picked up the platter and made her way back out. 

Finn looked out the back window and saw most of their moms friends were out there. Work friends that both Adora and Catra had but also old friends going back to the war. Finn took a sip of some punch and thought about whether or not they really wanted to go out there. 

“Hey, Finn,” Bow said behind them. 

Finn turned around and stepped forward to give their Uncle Bow a hug.

“Hey, Uncle Bow,” Finn said. “I figured you’d be out there.”

“I was but Capella was getting tired so I laid her down to sleep on your moms bed. Took a little bit to get her to accept that,” Bow said with a grin. “Glim is the same way. I remember one time carrying her around on my back because she was so tired she could barely stand but she didn’t want to go to sleep just yet even though she was drifting in and out of it on my back.” 

Finn laughed and said, “I’m not surprised. That sounds like Aunt Glimmer.” 

“Well when you get some time I’d love if you came over. I know Capella would love to see her Auncle Finn,” Bow said. 

Finn smiled. Capella was still young and a handful and had latched on to Finn as one of her favorite people and Finn loved her dearly.

“I’m sorry I wasn’t out earlier when she was awake. I’ve, um, just been taking care of stuff,” Finn said. 

Bow nodded and said, “I’ve heard.” 

Finn stood there for a moment in hesitation before they said, “Uncle Bow? Can I talk with you? In private?” 

Bow nodded and said, “Sure. Want to go to the front porch?” 

Finn nodded and the two went through the living room and out onto the front porch. They sat down and Bow waited in silence to see what Finn had to say. Finally, Finn spoke.

“I’d ask my moms this but, I don’t know, I just want to ask someone else I guess. I’m sure you know pretty much what’s going on so I have to ask, what should I do now?” Finn said. 

Bow smiled and tried not to get too excited that Finn had trusted him with this question and said, “I wish I could say but I don’t know, Finn. There’s no single way to deal with people because everyone is different. I can tell you what might work with Glimmer because I know _her_ but that might not work for Izzy because they’re people, not some single puzzle with a single solution. You just try and do the right thing and hope and if it fails, you try and do the next right thing.”

Finn sagged a little and said, “I was afraid you’d say something like that.”

Bow put his arm around Finn’s shoulders and said, “Hey, if it’s any consolation, I think you’re doing the right thing. Your moms raised you well but this is hard to deal with and it’s hard to go through but you’ll make it. Trust that you’ll make it and be willing to get help from your friends and family and you’ll get through it.” 

Finn nodded and stood up. Bow stood up as well and as Finn gave him a hug, said, “Thanks, Uncle Bow.”

Bow hugged him back and said, “You’re welcome and I’m touched that you thought to ask me.” 

As they stepped apart, Bow put his hands on Finn’s shoulders and said, “I’m going to be that old person now and say I remember the first day I met you. You’ve grown into a fine person, Finn.”

Finn smiled sheepishly and then Bow looked over their shoulder towards the gate and said with a smile, “Hello! Can I help you?” 

Finn turned around and there she was, standing nervously by the front gate in a hooded jacket and overalls. Finn felt their breath catch in their chest. Izzy didn’t say anything and the two stood standing there staring at each other. Bow stood in silence as he looked between the two in confusion for a moment before realization suddenly dawned. 

“Oh, OH! Ah, yes, I see! Alright, well, I’ll just, um, yes, I’ll just…,” Bow said before giving a Finn’s shoulder a little shake and quickly going back inside. 

Finn didn’t know what to say. If Bow hadn’t reacted to her being there, Finn would have been sure that they were dreaming of her standing there. Izzy stood silently as well in the glow of the lamp at the gate nervously and Finn saw that she held the letter in her hand. Finn took a hesitant step forward and then stopped. Izzy looked at them and shook her head a little under her hood, as if refusing something to herself, and quietly said, “Hey, Finn.”

As Finn heard her voice they felt like they were lighter than air. They smiled at her and said, “Hey, Izzy. It’s, um, it’s… hi.” 

Izzy held up the letter. Finn could see that it was still sealed and felt their heart break as they realized she was going to return it in person without having even taken the time to read it. Finn stepped down off the porch and walked towards her and said, “Izzy, wait, about the letter…”

Finn was close to her now but she shook her head again, sharply and empathetically, and held up her other hand. Finn stopped.

“No. Let me speak first, please,” Izzy said. “I got this letter and I didn’t know what to think. I’m pretty sure I know what it has to say and I haven’t opened it because if I do then I’ll know for sure and I don’t think I want to know.”

Finn heard her and tried their best to hold it together. Here it was then, she was going to say goodbye. Finn was caught between the want to have her here for every moment they had left, even if she was breaking their heart, and the want to run, to get away before it could happen. 

They stood rooted to where they stood and waited while she sighed and looked down for a moment. She pushed back her hood and Finn caught their breath as she looked up. She’d shaved the sides of her head and taken the rest up into a tight braid that ran down the center of her head. Her horns, short and shaved down, stood prominent on either side of the braid. 

“I know I’m messed up, Finn. There's a lot I need to work on but I’m going to do it and more importantly, I’m tired of trying to hide myself from people,” Izzy said as she ran a hand over one of the horns. “You told me that night that you thought I was wonderful and I don’t agree with you, at all, but you know what? I’m also tired of trying to hide what I think of _you_ and I have to be honest. I love you, Finn. Maybe it’s too late, cause I think this letter is you telling me that you’re done but I know what I feel and I should have said it that night. I love you, Finn, and I’m here hoping it’s not too late.” 

Finn stood there in open mouthed shock as Izzy looked down, not able to meet their eyes, afraid of what she’d see there. Finn made the final few steps forward, slowly, and said, “Izzy, look at me, please. Izzy, I love you too!” 

Izzy’s head snapped up to see Finn standing directly in front of her and she started nodding and a huge smile broke out over her face as she opened her arms and the two embraced each other tightly. Izzy whispered again in their ear that she loved them as they whispered the same thing back and they stood and swayed under lamplight and stars. 

They pulled apart a little and Finn touched their forehead to her’s, looking into her brown eyes that they thought they’d never get to see again, and said, “I’m sorry I freaked you out that night. I should have listened more to you and not blurt that out. This is my fault.” 

Izzy shook her head and said, “No, it’s my fault. I almost said I love you a few times that night but then I felt so weird about it and you said you thought I was wonderful and I just, I don’t know, I just thought maybe you were humoring me or something. I should have stayed.”

Finn laughed and said, “I was going to say it that night as well. I’d talked with moms at Seaworthy about you and, well, it’s actually in the letter but you can read that later. Let’s just say we’re both at fault but neither of us is either.” 

Izzy put her hand on Finn’s face and said, “I think I can live with that.” 

They stood there looking at each other for a few minutes when some noise raised up from the backyard and Izzy suddenly got a concerned look and said, “Wait, was that King Bow you were talking with when I got here? Is there a party or something going on? Do I need to go?” 

Finn took her hand on their face in their hand and said, “Yes, there’s a party going on, yes, that was my Uncle Bow and no, please don’t go unless you really want to in which case I’m going with you. In fact, if you stay I know my moms would really like to meet you, formally as they would say.” 

Izzy stood there for a moment and Finn could see her getting a worried look on her face. 

“Hey, it’s ok if you don’t want to, really. We can some other time,” Finn said. 

Izzy shook her head and said, “No, I need to try. Promise me we’ll leave if I don’t like it?”

Finn squeezed her hand and said, “Absolutely. I’ll do my best to notice if you’re uncomfortable ok but tell me if I don’t notice alright?” 

As they started walking hand in hand towards the porch, Izzy stopped and shook her head and said, “Actually, could you just go get your moms and I’ll wait on the porch? I don’t think I want to face a huge crowd right now.”

“I’m not sure I want to let you leave my sight,” Finn said, trying to make a joke but still feeling the truth behind the statement.

Izzy gave them a little push and said, “I’m done running away from you. I’ll be here when you get back. I love you.”

Finn felt a thrill run through them and said, “I love you too. I’ll be right back.” 

Hand and in hand they finished walking up to the porch and Izzy sat down and as Finn went inside they held her hand until the last moment. When Finn was inside, they rushed across the rooms to the backyard. As they walked out onto the patio, the whole party went quiet and turned to look at them. 

“Well thank you for the instant attention but that’s just a little weird,” Finn said to the large group, keeping a serious face. 

They looked around for a moment and spotted Catra and Adora in the crowd. Finn said, “Moms, I need you in private please.”

They both nodded and made their way through the crowd. When they got up to them Catra said, “Bow told us that Izzy came by, are you alright?” 

Finn kept the serious face and just said, “Not right now. Come on, I’ll tell you about it on the front porch.”

Finn walked out onto the front porch with them and Izzy was sitting on the bench, nervously kicking her feet back and forth. Finn smiled as they saw her there and when she saw Finn come out she smiled as well as she stood up. Catra and Adora stopped just outside the door. Finn walked up to Izzy and they put their arms around each other. 

“Moms, this is Izzy,” Finn said with a smile.

Later that evening, after Catra and Adora had sat and they’d talked a little bit with the two, just getting to know each other, they watched as Finn and Izzy went down the road, hand in hand again, as Finn walked her home. 

“Betcha that she wants to walk them back when they get there,” Catra said, leaning against the side of the porch. 

“No bet. I can see them both walking back and forth all night,” Adora said. 

“I’ll be honest, I wanted to hate her a little for what Finn went through but they both looked so _cute_ together so I guess they worked it out and I'll just settle for liking her instead,” Catra said.

Adora stood behind Catra and put her arms around her. 

“Our little one is in love,” Adora said. 

“That they are,” Catra said leaning back and kissing Adora. 

Later, Finn and Izzy stood outside her house holding each other's hands. The moons cast multiple shadows around them as they looked at each other in silence for a minute.

“I’d really like to kiss you,” Finn said quietly. 

“I’d really like it if you did,” Izzy said quietly back. 

And so they did.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! 
> 
> This one was going to be short. I thought it was just going to be the two of them having an emotional moment but ultimately coming through pretty easy. Then I realized, nope, it can't be like that and when I knew how it was going to play out I actually felt bad. Making Finn go through made me feel like a jerk. I will say when I realized that Izzy was going to say it first, I put notes at the end of my fic in all caps that basically said how she was going to push through her fear and confusion to try and take a chance. I'm happy those two got together at the end and I hope you feel the same. 
> 
> Finally, I can't believe this my twentieth fic! I just started writing fic at the end of May and so to hit this milestone seems a bit surreal but I do love doing it and just wanted to say thank you again to all of you for reading my work.


End file.
